Why Are You Going There?

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Clara Hinton

In all honesty, I wasn’t prepared for so many “why” questions. I cannot tell you how many people have asked me, “Why are you going to Haiti?” “That’s no vacation!” Why put yourself through so much to go there?”

Once again, I’ve had to do a lot of introspection, and that’s not a bad thing. I’ll bet I’ve asked myself that same “why” question at least a thousand times already. “Why am I going to Haiti?” I’ve gone around and around with this question, and if you’ve been reading along on this blog, you already know some of my fears.

In the end, it all boils down to this. Why am I going to Haiti? I’m going because I love God. Period. God has asked each of us to love others as we love ourselves. That’s no easy task — at least it’s not an easy one for me! I love children. I love moms and dads. I love teenagers. I love old people. (I’d better love old people, because that includes me!) But, I can’t say that I love others as I love myself. I’m selfish and self-centered about so much in life. And, the more I prepare for this trip to Haiti, the more I’m beginning to understand “me” and my relationship with God.

Why am I going to Haiti? I’ll say it again. I’m going because I love God. He spoke to me in so many different ways about this trip, and I fought Him. I’m still not jumping for joy over this “opportunity”, but I’m going.

I’m going because I love God. And, I know that God loves everyone — including every man, woman, and child living in Haiti. In my search for more of God and less of me, I’m going to Haiti, and I know with full confidence that I will find a lot more of God and my life will be centered around a lot less of me.

Only forty two more days……….

Love,
Clara
PS A very special thanks to all who are in prayer about this trip. Guess what? Your prayers are working!

Frogs in the Shower!

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Clara Hinton

At first glance I thought this was some sort of dog!

Today was one of those days when I felt the need for a long, hot shower. You know the kind when the water feels so good as it pulsates against your skin. You lather up with the best smelling body soap from Bath and Body Works and you soon look and feel so fresh and clean all over!

As I was finishing up my shower, an image came to mind and I immediately had a panic feeling. I remembered the frogs in the shower!! Stephanie, my daughter, told me that on her last trip to Haiti, it wasn’t unusual to see a big tree frog clinging to the wall while taking your 2 to 3 minute cold shower. I shuddered at the thought! A frog sharing my shower?!? That can’t happen — not to me! Please, Lord, if I’m going to have to shower with cold water, don’t make me share the little concrete cubicle with a frog!

Isn’t it amazing how much we cling to comfort? We live in a land of so much bounty here in the states that we don’t ever have to concern ourselves with sharing our homes with critters of the wild. And, now, I will learn yet another life lesson as I get to shower with the frogs. Already I can tell you that the story of Moses and the ten plagues is coming to life for me!

Forty three more days and guess what’s on my mind? Well, you’ll just have to wait until tomorrow. Right now I’m going to check my shower for frogs just in case….

Love,
Clara

Love Will Always Be the Universal Language

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Clara Hinton

Today was spent teaching classes almost the entire day. In between breaks, I did my usual “Haiti thinking” and today’s thoughts were centered around communication.

Okay, I know we’ll have a translator with us at all times, but what about those times when I would like to say something personally to a child? How will that child understand what I’m trying to communicate? Should I try to use some kind of made-up sign language? Should I buy a book on “How to speak like a Haitian”?

To you it might sound silly, but to me this is a big thing. I want the kids to understand me. I want the adults in the nursing home to know how much I care. I want the families who are getting food relief to know that my heart will always be with them, and that I will continue to pray and care.

Well, you guessed it. My answer came from God. He spoke to me by way of my daughter Stephanie’s pictures. I looked at her face in picture after picture. Sometimes she was smiling. Other times she was crying. Still other times she was looking into the eyes of a child she was holding close to her heart. And, as the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” In each and every picture I can “see” what Stephanie is saying. She’s saying, “I love you. I care for you. I’m here to help you. I want you to be happy. I want you to be fed. I want you to feel safe. I want you to go to sleep and be peaceful tonight.”

How will I speak and be understood while in Haiti? The same way everyone else will. I will speak with my heart. My heart will transform my outer being into the language of universal love. That’s just what Jesus does!

And, so it now is only forty four more days until departure. The excitement is growing!

Love,
Clara
PS A very special thank you to Stephanie for giving me permission to use photos from her previous trips to Haiti.

Water, Water, and More Water!

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Clara Hinton

Today’s diet consisted mostly of water. Wonderful, fresh, ice cold water. I drank it for breakfast. I drank it for lunch. I drank water with a slice of lemon for my afternoon snack. And, I just finished another tall glass of water with lots of ice.

I’ve always been a water drinker — even as a small kid I can remember going out to the hand pump and cranking out the water. Oh, it was so cold and seemed to hit the spot perfectly, especially on those muggy, hot days in New Jersey! Even better was when there was an outside spigot to turn on and stick your head under to cool off and lap up that refreshing, cold water.

Why did I drink only water today? You guessed it! Haiti is always on my mind these days. I’ve been told that fresh, clean water is something that is not readily available to everyone. In fact, most of the water where we will be staying is contaminated. We will have to purchase our water and be ever so careful not to even allow the “regular water” to touch our lips.

This disturbs me so much! In this day and age of super technology, the finest machinery and drilling equipment, and advances being made daily in the fields of science, how in the world are there people who still don’t have clean drinking water readily available to them?

I don’t have the answer to that question, but I do know how much I love and appreciate thirst-quenching, clean, clear, cold water! And, I know that I am acutely aware of the struggles many people go through just trying to get a little bit of drinking water for their daily hydration. I also know it pains me to think of living a life without fresh, clean drinking water.

Forty five days until my feet stand on Haitian soil. Forty five days until I will be wondering where I will get my daily supply of water. Forty five days until I will not have any icy, cold water to drink on those steamy, hot days. Forty five days until I will experience first hand what it truly means to be in need of one of the most basic things in life — clean drinking water.

Forty five days until I see with my eyes what it’s like not to have a pump in the front yard, a spigot on the side of the house, at least 5 or 6 faucets inside of the house pouring out clean, clear water.

Forty five days until my heart will forever be broken………

Love,

Clara

It Only Hurts a Little Bit!

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Clara Hinton

It only hurt a little bit!!

Today was the day that the trip to Haiti began to really feel like it was going to take place! An hour long drive to go get my shots gave me lots and lots of time to think. “So, you’re really doing this. You’re going through with the trip. If you get the shots, you’re committed to go. There’s no backing out now.”

And, so my conversation went on and on like that through the entire drive to Pittsburgh. Oh, I wasn’t afraid of the shot. I’m a toughie when it comes to things like that. My fear is facing the unknown. Going into a land that is foreign to me is not what I would call an “exiting trip.” It’s an adventure, but not a pleasure trip. I sound terribly selfish, don’t I? Like I said many times before, God has a lot of work to do with me. I love the comforts of home so much, and I’ll be the first to admit it. I miss my comfy bed and I didn’t even leave yet!

The nurse at Passport Health greeted me with a smile. “So, you’re a little nervous about this trip?” How in the world did she know? “Your face looks pale. Here…have some water. Let’s get you good and hydrated before you get your shots.”

This sounded like a plot of some sort. I was in deep trouble. Out came the notebook she had prepared for the trip. It even had my name on it! Yikes! Too, too real!!! The nurse took her time and went over every possible detail of the trip she could think of along with explaining every shot that was needed for this trip to Haiti.

One thing seemed to pop off of the page as we were going through the booklet, and I couldn’t seem to get past it. The entire land of Haiti was colored in brown. “What’s that mean?” I knew it had to mean something important! “If you don’t take your malaria medication, you most certainly will get malaria.”

It hit me like a ton of bricks. Here I was fussing and asking a ton of questions trying to avoid as many vaccines and prevention medications as possible. Why? Because I just didn’t want to take the medication. No other reason. And, that’s when it all hit me. Those children — the ones we’re going to visit. Those precious children are hoping upon all hope that we will bring them the vaccines they need to prevent whooping cough, malaria, measles, mumps, worms, meningitis, and flu. They are praying for the same medications that I was tossing aside simply because I didn’t want to take them.

“Okay, God. You’ve done it again. You’re really digging into my heart, aren’t you?”

With tears of shame streaming down my face, I gladly received my shots. I said prayers of thanks for the availability of the medication. I thanked God for such a special nurse. I thanked God for the car that got me to the facility where I could receive the medication. I thanked God for the financial means to pay for the vaccines.

I humbly and gratefully thanked God for my many, many blessings.

And, so it is now forty six days until departure for Haiti. Today was a good day……a very good day.